Aircraft pedestal put in place at new Veterans park

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) - The East Mississippi Veterans Memorial Park gained a new addition Monday morning. The pedestal that will hold the RF-4C Phantom II jet was put in place.

“We’re attaching the pedestal to the base where the aircraft is going to be displayed and we’ve got Glenn Machine Works here working with us and members of the foundation, and then some volunteers as well to get the pedestal set for where the aircraft is going to be displayed,” said Jeff Summerlin, the president of the East Mississippi Veterans Foundation.

Organizers say getting up to this point has been a long time coming.

“We started back in September of 2018 when the City of Meridian helped us acquire a former RF-4C Phantom II jet that flew here at Key Field with the Air National Guard unit, and it’s been ongoing since,” Summerlin said.

The next step is placing the jet on the pedestal. Organizers say the plan is for the aircraft to get to Meridian in about 2 to 4 weeks.

“The purpose of the project is to honor and remember the Meridian and East Mississippi area veterans and service members and once we get this park up and going, that’s the whole purpose of it, is that way we don’t ever forget our veterans,” Summerlin explained.

Organizers say this project was made possible with the help of many local businesses, including Slay Steel, Magnolia Steel, Cooper Concrete Construction, Johnson Pools, and Collinsville Paint and Body.

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